Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,525 in Meilen versus $3,897 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,499 in Meilen versus $5,905 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,473 in Meilen versus $7,912 in Dubendorf.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 10% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 162% above, Dubendorf 190% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.08 CHF 24.67

$30.43 CHF 24.16

2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$149 CHF 118

-2.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 14.69

$18.73 CHF 14.87

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$6.37 CHF 5.06

$6.33 CHF 5.03

0.63%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 CHF 4.66

$5.64 CHF 4.48

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.07

$5.14 CHF 4.08

-0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 CHF 6.65

$7.41 CHF 5.88

13.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 CHF 5.77

$6.88 CHF 5.46

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$2.14 CHF 1.70

7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.61

$3.36 CHF 2.67

-2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 CHF 3.21

$3.91 CHF 3.11

3.58%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$7.45 CHF 5.92

1.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.71 CHF 23.58

$29.77 CHF 23.63

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.41 CHF 26.52

$32.02 CHF 25.42

4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.01

$50.3 CHF 39.94

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.19 CHF 2.53

32.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$2.90 CHF 2.30

-16.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.37

$3.10 CHF 2.46

-3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CHF 4.11

$6.99 CHF 5.55

-25.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.77 CHF 2.20

-9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$2.39 CHF 1.90

-6.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.56 CHF 2.03

-1.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.90

$1.67 CHF 1.33

-32.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.74

$11.12 CHF 8.83

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CHF 12.12

$14.86 CHF 11.79

2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.82

$2.97 CHF 2.36

-22.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.04

$7.79 CHF 6.18

-50.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 76.8

$125 CHF 99.3

-22.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.26

$6.66 CHF 5.29

-0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$4.25 CHF 3.37

-3.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 64.7

$79.1 CHF 62.8

3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$2.23 CHF 1.77

0.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

$39.8K CHF 31.6K

-0.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

-2.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$256 CHF 203

$265 CHF 210

-3.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.4 CHF 46.34

$35.40 CHF 28.11

64.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CHF 46.71

$52.7 CHF 41.82

11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.5

$87.4 CHF 69.4

1.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.7 CHF 51.4

$56.1 CHF 44.51

15.41%

Cinema Ticket

$27.31 CHF 21.68

$25.10 CHF 19.92

8.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,795 CHF 2,219

$2,678 CHF 2,126

4.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

$39.3K CHF 31.2K

1.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$147 CHF 117

-4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 CHF 48.92

$66.4 CHF 52.7

-7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 116

$149 CHF 118

-1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 163

$204 CHF 162

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 CHF 1,372

$1,834 CHF 1,456

-5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 CHF 1,165

$1,855 CHF 1,473

-20.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 CHF 2,290

$2,745 CHF 2,179

5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CHF 1,957

$2,927 CHF 2,324

-15.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

$16.3K CHF 13.0K

51.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,462

$11.9K CHF 9,434

0.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,694 CHF 6,902

$4,036 CHF 3,204

115.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Meilen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,728 in Meilen and $1,834 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $145 in Meilen vs $149 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $665 vs $672 per month, with Meilen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Meilen vs Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen and Dubendorf differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($3,525 vs $3,897 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Meilen pays 115% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,728 in Meilen versus $1,834 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,525 per month in Meilen versus $3,897 in Dubendorf – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Meilen runs roughly 29% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Meilen and Dubendorf are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meilen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.